The New Deals

We all know the usual suspects where you can snap up runway-worthy pieces at  real-life prices (cough, Zara).  But with plenty of seriously stylish international sites now shipping to the U.S.- and the rise of a few statewide cult faves- there are a whole lot more places to score.  Take it from me, after all I am THE shopaholic who will scour the internet for hours (days, if necessary) to find just what I'm looking for. =)  In fact, you may even recognize many of the sites below from reading this very blog since I often feature products from most of the online retailers listed.  Go ahead, get your shop on-- you can thank me later!

COS 
www.cosstores.com

The Goods
H&M's sleeker sister might be pricer, but it's so worth it.  COS, or Collection of Style, excels at turning out pared-down androgynous designs that are a minimalist's dream. See the beautifully cut mini skirts and clean-lined tops, then marvel at the fact that you're getting pieces that will last you more than a few seasons.

Insider Secrets
Sold-old sizes get quickly restocked so check back regularly.  And new merchandise tends to hit the Euro site first, so switch your country settings to make your wish list early.

Shipping & Returns
Standard shipping, $6; free with orders more than $200.  Returns accepted within 14 days of purchase; return shipping is free.

River Island
www.us.riverisland.com

The Goods
This London High Street chain made waves with U.S. shoppers when it collaborated with Rihanna on edgy separates and cool-girl dresses.  Its in-house wares focus on basics with just enough trendy flair.  Take the current, mod-inflected collection, full of sharp heels, sexy shades, and faux-fur jackets that are retro without being costumey.

Insider Secrets
Don't miss the Style Insider section, which alerts you to contests and giveaways.

Shipping & Returns
Standard shipping, $20; free with orders more than $35.  Returns accepted within 14 days of receipt, return shipping costs are not covered.

Nasty Gal
www.nastygal.com

The Goods
It may have a rep as the go-to destination for downtown party girls (think crop tops and copious cutouts), but this online emporium also carries more sophisticated, even work-appropriate, pieces.  Look for classics with an irreverent twist, like printed trousers and croc embossed booties, from contemporary labels such as Jeffery Campbell and Motel, along with the company's in house line.
P.S. The brand's Shoe Cult Collection of gutsy footwear (envision colorful sky-high stilettos and towering platform wedges) is a total gem.

Insider Secrets
Download the app for mobile-only deals and first access to sales, promos and new styles.

Shipping & Returns
Standard shipping, $5; free with orders more than $75.  Returns accepted within 30 days of receipt; returns for store credit are free; returns for a refund require a $6 handling and processing fee.

Dorothy Perkins
www.dorothyperkins.com

The Goods
Upgrade your office look with this retailer's polished (but not snoozy) designs.  Items like an emerald jacquard top and a structured bag with gold-toned hardware look extra promotion-worthy.  It's also a breeze to sort through thousands of options with dedicated categories for workwear dresses, tailored pieces, and well-priced suits.

Insider Secrets
Searching for a special fit? The site's petite and tall sections are both bountiful and on-trend, while the maternity department has the cutest curve-clinging sheath dresses I've ever seen.

Shipping & Returns
Standard shipping, $10; free with orders more than $50.  Returns accepted within 14 days of receipt; return shipping is free.

Miss Selfridge
us.missselfridge.com

The Goods
This brand's bread and butter may be cute and colorful pieces that skew toward the younger set, but shoppers of all ages can find subtly sexy date-night looks and statement-making #GNO (that's girl's night out) accents.  Grab a kicky ivory mini, or how about a snake-effect clutch?

Insider Secrets
Hands down, it has one of the best online petite sections (5'3 and under). Sizes range from 4 to 14.

Shipping & Returns
Standard shipping, $10; free with orders more than $80.  Returns accepted within 14 days of receipt; return shipping is free.

Oasis
www.oasis-stores.com

The Goods
This U.K. fave traffics in classics with a modern spin. For winter it's heritage-looking plaid boyfriend coats, fitted sweater dresses and slim-fit printed trousers.

Insider Secrets
For major outfit inspiration, go to the In-The-Know section, which features seasonal edits from renowned stylists and bloggers.

Shipping & Returns
Flat-rate shipping, $10; free with orders more than $50.  Returns are excepted within 28 days on full-price items and 14 days on sale items; return shipping is free.

Boy Crazy: Standout Pouts

The season's new lipstick shades are not named after flowers or fruits or red-hot emotions: They're named after boys.  For Troi Ollivierre- the makeup artist who has been custom-blending J. Crew's candy-lipped looks behind the scenes for the past ten years, christening the six bright mattes in his debut line was a matter of diplomacy:  "All my girlfriends kept saying, 'I hope you name one after me.' and I was thinking this is going to be a problem," he recalls.  Hence George (a flame red) and Bob (a pastel pink).  The colors in Chanel's revamped Coco Rouge collection, coming in March, take their names from inspirations in Mademoiselle's own circle, among them Jean (Cocteau, a close friend) and Arthur (for Boy Capel, her great love).  Tom Ford, meanwhile, pays homage to the inspiring men in his life- 50 of them- with Lips & Boys, a sweeping new lipstick collection.  The shades read like a list of eligible bachelors- Leonardo, Starvos, Justin, Jack- and in that spirit Ford makes a case for serial dating: "Why commit to one when you can have several?"

Tom Ford
Lips & Boys

Smarty Pants

Natalia Vodianova
in Louis Vuitton

For the models and fashion mavens of the moment, evening dresses give way to flowing trousers and natty suits.

Miranda Kerr
in Emilio Pucci

Lily Collins
in Pamela Roland

Constance Jablonski
in Peter Som

Jennifer Lawrence
in Public School

New Year, New Rules

From sky-high platforms to statement jewelry and wearable tech, here are twelve ways to push your look forward in 2015.

1. Eye Candy

Dior

Pair a fresh face with an intense wash of colorful eye shade a la Spring 2015 runway models. 

2. Everyday Suede

Chloe

Napped leather may be the fabric of the sun-kissed seventies, but according to Louis Vuitton, Derek Lam, and Gucci it's also intensely of-the-moment.

3. Picnic Prints

DVF

Oversize checks put a fresh spin on the feminine pattern. 

4. Touch the Sky

Valentino

The daintier single sole moves aside for a shoe with a little more heft.  Viva la platform!

5. High Rise

Rodarte

The stovepipe jeans on Rodarte's spring runway reinforced denim's dominance on the street-style front.

6. Winter Whites

Michael Kors

Treat ivory tones as a glorious neutral fit for all seasons. 

7. Top it Off

Tory Burch

Spring runways were all about the 70s- especially at Saint Laurent, where Hedi Slimane designed miniature dresses and smart wide-brimmed felt hats.  

8. Back On Track

Will.i.am's new smartband, i.amPlus tells time, makes phone calls, and connects to instagram.

9. Big Drop

Eddie Borgo

Sonia Boyajian's object trouve earrings for Nini Ricci's spring show have inspired other adornments of fanciful whimsy.  

10. On the Grid

Louis Vuitton

Graphic accessories pack an extra punch, as seen on latticework bags at Louis Vuitton and Proenza Schouler.

11. New Heights

Altuzarra x Gianvito Rossi

The gladiator style - spotted everywhere- is an especially good complement to leggy looks. 

12. Short Notice

Burberry

Cropped jackets are the season's key transition piece. 

DVF Turned Up for Spring 2015

I must admit, it wasn't until I watched the season finale of House of DVF a few weeks ago that I had my first glimpse of Diane von Furstenberg's Spring 2015 collection.  As unexpected as the collection was, I absolutely loved every piece in it!

The DVF woman looks to update her daytime wardrobe for Spring 2015 with an outing of pretty dresses, well-tailored pants and light jackets. Colors are vibrant and seasonally appropriate, while the silhouettes are feminine and flirty without being overly sexy.

I loved how she shook things up this season- specifically, there was a Gingham baby-doll dress and more bra tops on the runway than there were DVF’s signature wraps. Another thing in excess: legs. Von Furstenberg opted to show just two pairs of pants, one in black-and-white gingham and the other in dark rinse denim with her initials embroidered on the back pocket.

Where all this leaves professional women who might look to von Furstenberg for traditional work clothes, is an open question. Nonetheless, some props are in order for shaking up the wrap dress status quo.  I love the bra tops, but the power mesh corset on a striped hourglass dress look sexy, and the thigh-high slit on a jersey tank dress with a chiffon skirt has an edge that's new for DVF and likely to keep a fresher, younger generation coming back for more.

Check out some of favorites from the collection below!

Dye Candy

Alexander Wang, Micheal Kors, Fausto Puglisi

Designers are cleaning up tie-dye this season.  Whether it's a Gucci fisherman's sweater with improbably stained degrees of blue or a Michael Kors suede trench speckled with a sweet shade of pink, the new tie-dyes are refreshingly un-retro.  It's a look, not a lifestyle.

Gucci

Alexander Wang

Fausto Puglisi

Fausto Puglisi

Michael Kors

Michael Kors